Actually 4 1/2 stars (or sheep as the review blog uses).
Ben Van Brunt is the grandchild of Brom Bones and Katrina. Ben plays “Sleepy Hollow Boys” with her only friend, Sander, a boy from the village. They find a dead, headless boy, and soon after other deaths in the section of woods near where they play. Once talks of the Headless Horseman and other things that inhabit the woods start, Ben begins to investigate if it is the Horseman, or something else.

If you always wondered what happened to all the characters from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the village, this Young Adult novel is the perfect imagining of another spooky tale for reading during the cooler wisps of October.

I don't even know where to begin - I knew I would enjoy this book but I didn't not expect to fall absolutely head-over-heels in love with what turned out the be a creepy, queer, delightful tribute to Washington Irving's beloved classic. One of the the things I best appreciated was that Henry, as she has demonstrated in her other adaptations of classic stories, has a real knack for embracing the nostalgia for a source text without letting her own narrative be confined by the original. Henry also has the ability to create characters that you want to cheer for, and villains that you want to kick in the shins. I also thought that Henry hit on the perfect balance between the battle for the future of Sleepy Hollow, and Ben's personal journey of identity. HORSEMAN is an A+ fall read, and a must for Halloween readings lists. 10/10 jack-o'-lantern heads.

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Sleepy Hollow is back in this cleverly-imagined Historical Fiction Horror novel from Christina Henry!!
Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow is set twenty-years after Ichabod Crane's run-in with the infamous, Headless Horseman.

The legend is still told in town, but with that many years separating the incident from reality, people's belief in the accuracy of the story, and the Horseman himself, have begun to dwindle. Even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there on the night in question, passes the story off as village gossip. Nevertheless, Ben still enjoys playing Sleepy Hollow Boys in the local woods with his only friend, Sander.

Ben, born a girl, has never seen himself that way and chooses to live the way he feels, as a boy, regardless of how much his grandmother, Katrina, fights him on it.

It's on one of these occasions, playing in the woods, that the first body is discovered. A local boy, missing his head and hands. Ben feels a dark energy permeating from the woods; could the Horseman be back? When more victims start to be discovered, Ben doesn't understand how people can continue to deny the ominous presence lurking just outside the village.

Discovering his own parent's deaths may not have occurred how his Grandparents said, Ben now realizes he has a mystery to solve. Something evil is happening with the town and he needs to do whatever he can to stop it.

Horseman sets a spooky tone from the very start; perfect material for this time of year, I have to say. If you are a fan of previous Sleepy Hollow content, including the original tale, I really feel this one is worth checking out. I am always impressed by Henry's dark imagination. While this is a bit of a slow burn, I had a great time reading it.

In my opinion, the story was original and fresh. The paranormal/spooky elements were well-constructed and I enjoyed getting to know Ben as a character. As a 14-year old, Ben was strong-willed and courageous. Spurred on by the mysteries circling the town and his family, Ben was willing to do anything to get to the bottom of it all. I was definitely able to get behind that level of determination.

This is the perfect type of tale to pick up as we get closer to Halloween, but really, aren't spooky stories perfect all year-round?

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate it!

Happy book birthday to 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏: 𝑨 𝑻𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒚 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 by Christina Henry 🎉👻 Thanks so much Berkley and Netgalley for the galley! 💖

Set 20 years after Washington Irving's Sleepy Hollow, it is a what comes after tale. It's a spooky read perfect for the Halloween 🍂🎃👻

I love how atmospheric it was and the mystery and magical element sprinkled made it more enjoyable. It's a beautifully written coming of age story and I adore all of the characters especially Ben. He's fierce and strong, and his struggles added depth to the plot. It tackles loss, racism, belonging, family loyalty, and acceptance.

It kept me hooked from start to end. It's fast-paced, engrossing, and so fun!

The story picks up, two decades after the Original Sleepy Hollow tale. Brom's granddaughter Bente, is the protagonist. 14 year old Ben van Brunt, born a girl, sees himself as a boy, having been raised by his loving grandparents on their farm after the loss of his parents, Bendix and Fenna.

When Ben and a close friend come across the body of a headless child near their village, Ben begins to question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Is the Horseman real? Is there something more sinister in the woods?

What Christina Henry has attempted here is amazing. But did she deliver?
For me, there are parts that worked and parts that didn't. I liked Ben and the way he did not want to be a girl. The character was well developed but at times I felt he did not behave like a 14 year old. The pacing of the book was inconsistent which made me give up on this book multiple times.
I really loved the way this book ended. I think the author thought this book from the end. So some of the chapters ended up being fillers . I am sure, the editor could have cropped a chapter or two.

I did not hate this book because the idea itself was great, but somehow the length and writing did not work for me.

💭Review💭

What could have been better?
Okay! It had a very strong beginning, but ended up very disappointed by the last 25/30 percent of the book, so about a third. The ending was rushed, and it lost a lot of the dark/creepy and suspenseful vibes.

There was such build up and idk, that last part, where they do a time jump, really disappointed me.

Also, the end felt rushed and forced.

What I enjoyed?
The beginning was very strong. It was creepy, fantastical, and made me keep turning the page.

The book had some #lgbtiaplus representation, with a strong lead character.

I loved the relationship between the character and the push and pull of love, wanting to protect someone, and learning acceptance.

The book was pretty fast paced too, which I enjoyed and I liked a lot of the characters!

This book, at the end, ended up not being a favorite but I could see the appeal and why others may enjoy it.

2.75/5 rounded to 3

This is an intense retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow- full of excitement, fast pacing, and a bit of gore.

Spooky season fans, don’t sleep on this one. It’s a great way to get into the mood. Curl up and prepare for the creepiness.

Definitely a four star read for me, and fans of the tale of the Headless Horseman will love this retelling.

**Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review- my opinions are my own.**

Anyone who has read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow knows the tale, but do you really? Old Ichabod Crane fleeing from the mighty headless horseman afraid of his own shadow. Or, is that really how it was in Sleepy Hollow? If you really want to capture the true essence of Crane, look no further than Ben Van Brunt who has heard the tales of his hometown. Ben’s grandfather, Brom Bones, doesn’t believe in any of this nonsense for he knew there wasn’t any such thing as a headless horseman, right?

Ben Van Brunt was out playing in the woods with a good friend when they stumbled across something they never expected to find—a headless child with missing hands. They soon discovered they knew the child lying there. The torso and legs belonged to Christoffel. But unbeknownst to Ben, Brom and a few of the townsmen were on the case and had a meeting in the woods where they could discuss what to do with the dead child. Instead of heading home like he should have done, he climbed the tree and hid away from the adults so he could hear what they had to say about Christoffel. Immediately, Ben knew that all the stories the adults had been spinning wasn’t quite right.

Off in the distance Ben could hear the galloping of hooves. Not only could he hear the sound of the hooves, the Horseman called to him. “Ben!” Ben was convinced the Horseman was real despite what his grandfather told him. It wasn’t until Ben came upon another villager that had a very different spin on what was happening in old Sleepy Hollow, and that readers, is where this story gets sinister and scary.

OMG! I loved this story! Henry wrote this book. What an interesting spin on an old short story that I’ve loved ever since I could read. I’ve seen so many variations of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane, but Henry really gives you a new way of looking at an old fictional story. She made this story her own and I loved the characters and the zaniness of the townspeople of Sleepy Hollow. If you’re into fantasy and some horror, look no further than the Horseman! Outstanding read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am so obsessed with this author and all her dark and twisted fantasies and this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

I had read the classic story of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” when I was younger and have always been fascinated with it. The movie with Johnny Depp came out and I was borderline obsessed.... I watch it every Halloween so when I saw the great twister or tales, Christina Henry was writing a retelling of it, I just had to beg NetGalley so I could read it as soon as possible. Ms. Henry... you did NOT disappoint. The author gave me the spooky tale I craved with so many unexpected twists and storylines and I WAS INTO IT! It combined elements of the original story and gave the characters so much more depth and gave the small town of Sleepy Hollow a spookier vibe than I ever expected.

This book wasn’t just a mystery or a spooky tale, it had so many wonderful elements and storylines woven into it. It was so much more than I thought... well done Ms. Henry. The author stayed true to the original story, but gave the characters just enough of a twist that made it different and fun to read. The town of Sleepy of Hollow is one that I half want to visit and half want to stay away from. It reminded me of the town from the movie, but so much spookier andddddd those woods are some creepy ones that even the Bad Wolf wouldn’t venture into.

The plot follows the Van Brunt family and the main character is a teenager struggling with his identity and how society and his family see him. His story and struggle were such a welcome surprise to the plot and adds a depth to the familial plot and the mystery of it as well. His past is a mystery in itself and when the mysterious deaths of his peers start to take place it becomes not only a story to find their killer, but one to uncover his past as well. Ben and his internal dialogue could be annoying at times, but considering he is a 14 year old and is struggling with what he is struggling with, I forgave his whininess most of the time.

I loved the side story of his grandparents. I would love to read a book just based on their past and to read their perspectives because it truly captivated me. I love Brom and Katerina so much and their story was so heartbreakingly more beautiful than I expected.

This story had so many amazing layers and so many wonderful elements braided together into it that I was hooked from beginning to end. It gave me everything I wanted and it gave me things that I never expected. I loved this book so much and it will always have a special place in my heart. Ms. Henry you have done it again, thank you so much for this unique and amazing read!

“Blood is its own kind of magic. It sustains life. It carries our history, all the blood that came before us…”

HORSEMAN
Thank you, Christina Henry, Berkley Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! It releases on September 28th!

Horseman by Christina Henry is a tale about Sleepy Hollow, but not the way we know it. But there is no better way to kick off the Fall season than with a Sleepy Hollow retelling. Ben Van Brunt is 14 years old and loves Sleepy Hollow and playing in the woods. Yes, everyone knows the stories of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane. Ben should know. Ben’s grandparents are Katrina Van Tassell and THE Brom Bones. Katrina would love nothing more if Ben would start acting like a lady, but Ben wants to be just like her grandfather who is her favorite person in the whole world. Her parents died when she was just a baby and has been raised by her grandparents. Brom hates the village stories, he only did it to scare off Ichabod Crane. But Crane was never found. However, something unusual is happening in Sleepy Hollow. Ben stumbles across the headless body of a boy in the woods. Rumors swirl. Is the Headless Horseman back? Or is it something more sinister?

“There are many things you don’t understand and couldn’t beginto. The world doesn’t always have reasons. Sometimes terrible things happen without justification, or simply because someone wants them to happen.”

HORSEMAN
It is wonderful to visit Sleepy Hollow again! And Christina Henry is the perfect author to take us there! I loved The Girl in Red, The Mermaid, and The Ghost Tree. One thing is for sure, she knows how to make a dark story…even darker. Trigger Warnings: Child Death, Murder, Gruesome Scenes, Abuse, Assault. I love how it is still a mystery with what happened to Ichabod Crane and how Ben tries to figure it out. But the ending is anything but predictable! I loved all the twists and turns! However, my favorite aspect of this book is Ben discovering who they are. Raised a girl, but always felt like a boy. Ben has the courage to stand up for themself, especially to family. Sometimes that is the hardest. It is difficult for those now, let alone post-Revolutionary War times.

I could cry at the depth of the relationships displayed. While Ben has a difficult relationship with Katrina. Ben knows that Katrina would sacrifice herself for Ben. She is a stubborn and fierce woman, but she loves with all her soul. But Brom and Ben are two peas in a pod. I love their relationship. Brom not only accepts Ben but encourages it! He praises Ben and never wants Ben to be someone they aren’t. That is love. So break out the tissues because there is more than one moment where I needed one!

Another win for Christina Henry! Definitely make sure you add it to your Fall TBR! I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I’ve had decent luck with Christina Henry’s other titles, so I was really quite excited to see that she was writing a Sleepy Hollow retelling. It was ultra creepy, not at all what I expected, and a really refreshing take on the tale. 

Horseman takes place two decades after the events of the original Headless Horseman tale and stars Ben van Brunt, grandchild of Brom and Katrina. Ben’s parents died when Ben was just a babe, supposedly of a fever. This is the generally accepted story, but it becomes clear something suspicious is afoot when a child’s body, missing head and hands, is discovered in the woods. The reaction of certain adults who were around the first time this happened is a dead giveaway that not all is as it seems. Something dangerous is in the woods, and it has a hunger that only hands (and a head) can satisfy. Ben is determined to investigate this mystery, but between the spine tingling presence in the woods, and the ghostly drumming of a horse's hooves it’s quite a terrifying thought.
I loved the first ~85% of the book. There was a creeping dread that really fit the tale well, I loved Ben, Brom, and Katrina, and the little reveals of what actually happened during the original Headless Horseman tale were great. The dead bodies devoid of head and hands were absolutely ghastly and the thing eating them was honestly way creepier than it had any right to be. It was fantastic! And then the book jumped forward in time and I didn’t care for that portion all that much. It yanked me out of the story and while I can understand why it was executed that way, I was a little let down by the ending. The creeping dread was gone and only sadness remained. 

Overall, this was a really good story with plenty of creep factor. I love reading spooky retellings as Halloween gets ever closer and Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorites! The landing didn’t quite stick (for me) but I’d definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a good Sleepy Hollow retelling.

Horseman by Christina Henry was everything I hoped it would be and more. I loved the autumnal mood and classic setting, the historical detail, and most importantly the characters. I thought it hit just the right balance of realism and dark magic, made believable by the isolated community and time period. I don't want to give anything away, but I loved the way it ended. It was both surprising and seemingly inevitable. I thought Henry addressed gender expression with sensitivity and compassion. As soon as I finished reading it, I immediately put her other books on my wish list. This is a perfect read for October.

3.5/5 stars

This is the perfect story for Halloween time. I love that the author took the legend of sleepy hollow and built upon it. SO COOL!

The writing is atmospheric with some truly creepy moments that I appreciated. I also liked how the author broke it up into 3 sections.

Would recommend to anyone looking for a spooky treat.

This story had me gripped right from the beginning. It was haunting, gory, dark and mysterious.

Now, I'll be honest, I've not read the original Sleepy Hollow book, but I know the gist of the legend. This book isn't a direct retelling of the haunting, but kind of an extension. It explained where the legend came from, and how the horseman continues to ride in Sleepy Hollow. It told a bit more about the dark forces and the magic surrounding the town.

Ben is a grandchild of the town's richest couple Brom Bones and Katrina. As Ben is getting older he starts to question what has happened to his parents. And when a body of a boy is found headless and without hands, Ben believes that the Horseman has come back to town to haunt again. Only, Ben is the only one who believes that Horseman is real.

Now as the dead bodies start adding up, the real dark secrets of the town start to reveal themselves. Ben finds out more about where he comes from.

I enjoyed the easy flowing plot, the haunting darkness, the angst of Ben being accepted for who he is and finding his strength to stand up for himself.

The only reason why this was not a five star read for me, was the last part of the book. It jumped another 10 years, and it felt a bit weird in the flow of the story. Though I understand why it did, and the end was greatly wrapped up, I thought it could have done the same without the time jump. But maybe it's just me.

In the end, this is a really good spooky season read. Now I need to read all the retelling from this author.

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by author Christina Henry is retelling of sorts that takes place between 20, and 30 years after the original story. I shouldn't call this a retelling. It's more of let's check in on Sleepy Hollow, New York 20 years after the orignal story and see how the town is faring. The story's main character is 14-year-old Bente (Ben) Van Brandt, granddaughter of Abraham and Katrina Van Brandt. When Ben starts questioning what she's been told about her parents' deaths and the legend of the horseman, things get a little twisted.

For the record, the book is broken up into three parts, with the final part taking place 10 years after the start of the book. Ben and his friend Sander grew up listening to the tales of the Horseman as well as Ichabod Crane who was allegedly run out of town by a head less Horseman. Her grandfather always gets a chuckle out of the tale, but her grandmother looks like she wants to swat her husband. There is something these two know, but will not tell the truth about what really happened that caused Icabod Crane to disappear.

But when a boy their age is found without his head in the woods, the quite town is shaken. Soon thereafter, she finds a sheep without its head and the body count continues to grow. Could the Horseman have returned? Ben soon starts to hear voices in the woods that pretty much warn evil away from her by claiming her as its own. The Hollow is pretty much stuck inside a bubble. While they do get visitors, they don't stay for long, and residents don't wander past the place where the track ends.

Ben hasn't exactly had the easiest of lives. She lost her mother to the plague, and her father disappeared into the woods, and was never seen again. Ben doesn't fit into the role of what we would call feminine. In fact, Ben rages against the machine and her grandmothers desire for her to act like a lady. Ben idolizes his grandfather and wishes that she could find a place to be what she wants to be. Ben chooses to walk her own path even though it makes her a target of bullies since she's so tall, and lanky.

As it becomes apparent to Ben that the truth of her parents death has been kept from him, she begins to become aware that there are many aspects of his family history he had no knowledge of. Will Ben be able to survive the increasing dangers and horrors that are set to come his way?

Recommendation: With all this being said, Horseman didn’t completely work for me. It might for someone else, but I'm not going to jump over my own two feet to wave the hurrah flag.

Just in time for Halloween, Christina Henry gives delivers a reboot/sequel to Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In this gothic tale told through Brom Bones and Katrina’s grandchild, Ben, a lively, spunky fourteen years old, who though born a girl, identifies himself as a boy. A great evil has awakened and is preying on the children of Sleepy Hollow and Ben finds himself not only threatened by this evil, but also by the prejudices of the local townspeople. Is this evil the headless Horseman or something even more hideous?

I found myself engrossed in this quick read and found this not only suspenseful, but also creepy and chilling. Henry gives us some great and relatable characters to this dark world. Brom Bones and Katrina, both now middle aged and have long been happily married. Ben is a fun character, constantly finding himself in hot water, even when he promises he’ll stay out of trouble. The plot does have slow moments, but picks back up towards the end with a couple of twists and a satisfying conclusion.

Oh how I adored Ben so freaking much in this story. Living with his grandparents in a sleepy little town where the legend of the headless horseman is just said to be a story. Ben and his only friend spend their days pretending it’s real… until they come across some of the adults in town discovering the headless and mutilated body of a young boy.

Ben idolizes his grandfather and basically tolerate his grandmother, Katrina, who wants to marry Ben off and for him to act like a real lady. But Ben has always known he wasn’t a girl. He is a boy and he longs to go somewhere where nobody knows who he is, so he can just be.

Now, with all of these secrets coming to light about the town, the history surrounding the horseman, which is considerably closer to home than Ben ever imagined, more questions arise and dark secret truths are being discovered.

This was such a great dark and beautiful story and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“It wasn’t that people didn’t care; it was that they accepted horror in exchange for wonder.”

Christina Henry does not miss! I really enjoyed this retelling/update of Sleepy Hollow. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys in the woods with their best friend, Sander. But when they stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?

This story packed a lot into few pages. Ben is the granddaughter of the larger than life Brom and the beautiful and wealthy Katrina, and has been raised by them after the death of her parents when she was young. She loves being wild and free and living up to her infamous grandfather, as well as trying to outrun the expectations and restraints that society places on girls and women during this time period. Ben was an interesting character and I had no idea how their story would end. I loved the world building here, and the lore of the Headless Horseman was fun to figure out. I felt a great sense of unease while reading, and that’s exactly the type of horror/thriller I enjoy. The atmosphere was fantastic and made for a fast-paced read. The ending was a great twist on this classic tale. I can’t wait to read more from her!

I love the legend of sleep hallow so this was a book I was really interested in. I'm not disappointed either. This did a really good job of taking the story we already know and love and running with it. I loved getting to see all of the original characters and the new characters really added some great depth. This book also had some great spooky moments. While I didn't find it particularly scary I did find it creepy and atmospheric in places. This is definitely a solid Halloween read and one of the best sleepy hallow retellings I have read.

As someone who has a soft place in her heart for THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW, I always go into reimaginings of that story with excitement and trepidation. I've had a lot of good experiences with adaptations and retellings for the most part, but HORSEMAN didn't quite live up to the other adaptations I've read or watched. There were definitely things that worked, specifically the protagonist Ben, the grandchild of Brom Bones and Katrina. Ben identifies as a boy and wants to live life as a boy though others see him as a girl, and he has complicated relationships with his grandparents. Brom loves Ben for who he is, though there is question as to whether that's because of the fact he misses his dead son Bendix. Katrina worries that life will be difficult for Ben, and also resents that she doesn't connect with her grandchild as well as Brom does. I thought that all of this was interesting and well done (that said, I'm a cis woman, so if the trans character and representation wasn't good, I want to know). But a lot of other stuff didn't work for me. For one, I didn't like that Brom basically gets a pass for being a complete jerk in the original story, his torment of Ichabod Crane being undermined by plot points and by pretty much making it a 'boys will be boys' situation. I'm fine if you want to make Brom more complex, but to try and make him into an affable great guy when he was the town brute was disingenuous. I also thought that some of the big reveals and plot points as to what is killing people in Sleep Hollow (and taking their heads) wasn't laid in a strong enough foundation, and therefore when we got the reveal and how it relates to Ben, it didn't feel earned or emotionally resonant. And finally, there just wasn't enough Horseman in a book called HORSEMAN. While I did kind of enjoy how the connection between Ben and the Horseman shook out at the end (no spoilers), overall I really wanted more of the Headless Horseman character that I have loved ever since I was probably five years old.

HORSEMAN didn't really work for me, but I'm definitely going to look into reading more Christina Henry in the future. If I don't have a deep personal connection to the stories she is reimagining, I may have more luck, as I did like her writing style quite a bit.